


Tai Chi

by lemonypond



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, Gen, Mentions of Fitz, Post-Season/Series 01, mentions of Fitz's rehab, mentions of Simmons - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 14:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1713398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonypond/pseuds/lemonypond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melinda May and Skye train together, and Coulson stops by to chat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tai Chi

Somewhere deep within the secret base known as “The Playground” Melinda May and Skye were training. Skye sought to find ways to channel her emotions and May had extended an invitation. After the fallout of the events with Grant Ward and John Garrett, Skye had felt many things; confused, saddened, angered, and more than anything, hurt and betrayed. Melinda May sought to mentor the young woman; she saw much of her younger self in her; determination, stubbornness, heart, and a certain unpredictable air of mischief. Melinda May had seen things, done things that she never shared; not even with Coulson. She lived with her choices and her actions; they were her penance. Taking Skye under her wing felt in some small way like rehabilitation.

Words had not been spoken in two hours. Serene music played softly from the overhead speakers. Skye was mirroring Melinda May’s tai chi movement. Both ladies had a look of calm meditation on their faces. The sound of men’s dress shoes echoed down a long corridor. Slowly the sound drew closer until eventually Phil Coulson entered the doorway.

“Ah there you guys are. I’ve been wandering this maze for a good half hour,” Phil said with an easy smile on his face. He was, as usual dressed in a well-tailored suit. He paced a little as Skye and May continued their tai chi in silence.

“Can I ask you something? Both of you actually,” he continued, acknowledging Skye’s presence in the room. “Have I been too hard on Simmons?” He scrunched his face. It must have been eating away at his mind.

It had been two weeks since Fury had rescued FitzSimmons from the ocean. Simmons was scarcely seen away from Fitz’s side. She oversaw and collaborated with his doctors. She was his speech therapist, his strength coach, his physical and vision therapist. She was all things to him, same as she had always been. And no one questioned her and no one protested. They would bring her tea and ask about his progress, but they generally left her alone. Now that the team was out of immediate danger and in progress of rebuilding, Coulson began to reflect on the previous year. Again and again he found himself dwelling on the times where he’d yelled at Simmons, and the time when she yelled back.

“You don’t think that I’ve pushed her too hard. Set unrealistic expectations?” he asked again. He was greeted once again with the calm, emotionless gazes of Melinda and Skye, their arms moving in unison.

“I’ve only ever wanted her and Fitz to access their full potential,” he continued. He placed his hands in the pockets of his slacks, still pacing back and forth.

Melinda and Skye continued their motions, now waving one leg up into a crane pose.

“But I’ve seen the toll it’s taken on her…and not just with Fitz’s rehab. It was evident long before then. When you were shot I…” he took a long drawn breath.

Skye’s face remained emotionless, but she locked eyes with him. Melinda coolly continued to look straight ahead.

“I know she’s just a kid, but she’s not at the same time. She’s smarter than I could ever even pretend to be,” he said looking at Melinda May. Melinda continued to look straight ahead.

“She can do things I can’t even pronounce; when I was her age I was…” he finally caught Melinda’s eye.

“You’re right, I’ve been too hard on her.” He nodded, crossing his arms. “Should I talk to her? Not as her superior officer, but as a friend?” he asked his captive audience.

Neither responded or looked him in the eye.

“I should talk to her. But I should wait, right? Until Fitz is back on his feet?”

The music continued to resonate in the room. It really had a calming effect.

“You’re right. I’ll find her this afternoon after his PT session,” he said. “I’ll bring tea. Which one is her favorite again?” He continued to pace.

Melinda and Skye continued in silence, pushing their hands through the air. Skye glanced at Coulson out of the corner of her eye.

“You’re right, Skye, it won’t matter, it’s the effort that matters.” 

Both women turned forty five degrees and dipped into lunges with fluid motion.

“Thanks for the talk, it was a great help,” he said with a newfound sense of confidence and peace. “I’ll let you guys get back to your tai chi.” He then turned and left the room, the echoes of his shoes growing fainter and fainter until only the sound of the peaceful music remained.

“Is he always that annoying?” Skye finally broke the silence while she continued to push her hands through the air.

Melinda answered simply and calmly. “You have no idea.”

“How can you stand it?” Skye asked.

A faint smile formed on May’s face. “Why do you think I do tai chi?”


End file.
